Understanding how people with Anorexia Nervosa value foods
Official title: Constructing the subjective value of food in Anorexia Nervosa
Funded at University of Chicago · NIH-11369143 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how individuals with anorexia nervosa assign value to different foods and how brain activity relates to those choices, using brain imaging, eye tracking, and computer models.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 14, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $559,085 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH132792-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11369143 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults diagnosed with anorexia nervosa who are willing to participate in MRI tasks and behavioral testing.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without anorexia nervosa or those unable to undergo MRI or eye-tracking procedures may not benefit from this study.
What this research studies
People with anorexia nervosa often pick low-calorie foods and struggle with how they value different options. The study uses brain imaging, eye-tracking, and computational modeling to see how attributes like calories and taste influence food choices. By comparing individuals with anorexia nervosa to healthy controls, researchers aim to uncover mechanisms that drive maladaptive food decisions and test ways to bias valuation toward healthier options.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide new interventions that help patients make healthier food choices.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in healthy individuals has linked brain activity and value-based decisions to food choices; this study extends those methods to anorexia nervosa and may reveal disease-specific patterns.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bakkour, Akram — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Bakkour, Akram
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.